Shoe



BULLOCK SHOE Feb. 16 1926.

May

' ED j STATES 1 more-or less exposed. c

, According to this invention, a shoe; is provided which furnishes adequate and proper support for the ankle ofthe wearer "PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH nuttoomor .ennovnn, usssncisuserrs, sssrenon r convenes RUBBER r .snon C0,,A YCOB-POZQATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

' lfsii iieai taales-traits, 1924.; seas no. 716,822.

Tooll whom I ;Be. it known that I, HUGH Buttock, a

v v citizen of the United States, residing at 1 ';Andover, in"-'the county of Middlesex and "i' Fig. 3 isua rear viewshowing the cut-out 5. State of Massachusetts, have finventedl cer-' new and useful I Pl inshoes,

- of 'which'the followin is a specification.

- In certain types of s oesknown generally as ankle height shoes, l discomfort is often 19 produced b the upper rear part of the shoe rubbing, c afing 'or' cutting the Achilles tendon. This is particularly true with shoes subject to active use, such asin'basket ball-or tennis. In fact, basket ball players aresometimeskept out of the game by in flammati'on and swelling due to the upper edge. of the shoe cutting. into the skin and the Achilles tendon at a pint where it is I which is very necessary particularly in athletic shoes, and at the same time obviates the inflammation, chafing, swelling and discomfort, due to the upper rear part'of the shoe cutting into the leg of the wearer, near .where the Achilles tendon is most exposed.

A'shoe made in accordance with this in- 'vention, has an upper or quarter for furnishing adequate and firm support for the ankle, the important point being that the 'upper rear edge of the shoe upper or quarter is provided with a cut-out portion or notch,

. '35 which is locatedv with res ect tothe Achilles tendon at a.point where t iat tendon is more or less exposed.

The cut-out portion or'notch may be of any desired width, depth or shape, the pre- 40 ferred form, however, being illustrated in the accompanying drawings. I

y The line of pull from the upper eyelet at the front of the shoe is diagonally upward from the bottom of the notch, which lessens the tendency of the back of the shoe to cut into the tendon, due to the fact that such pull is not perpendicular to the tendon, and

, also due to the fact that such bias pull 1s at an angle-to the threads of the cloth of the upper, so that the cloth gives and stretches and so absorbs the force that otherwise would tend to cause avcutting and chafing of the tendon.

- 'In the drawings,

\ Fig. 1 is a perspective view, illustrating 'fthe.

the'iiivention as embodied in a slide commonly used for basket ball, tennis or other athletic use; v

V Fig. 2 is a side view of the shoe;

portion as ,worn when the shoe is level with ound;

Flg. 4is a viewshowing the spreading of the sides of the cut-out portion when the heel is raised. Y Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing otlier shapes for the cut-out portion.

Referring now to the drawings, the shoe comprises the sole 1, quarter or upper 2, back-stay 3 and eyelet stay 4; at the front of the quarter or upper.

At the upper rear portion of the quarter 2 is'a cut-out portion 5, the depth and sha e of which may be varied as desired, but,

which in the preferred form, is substantially U-shaped.

In'the preferred form, the sides 6 defining the cut-out portion 5 are disposed at an angle to the back-stay 3 and at an angle to the upper horizontal edge of the quarter.

The warp and woof threads of the quarter are usually vertical and horizontal. The upper eyelet 4-. is preferably slightly above the level of the top of the back stay 3 so that there is an upward or bias pull imposed substantially along the line A--A, Figs. 1 and 2. This bias pull, from the fact that it is not directly perpendicular to thc Achilles tendon, lessens the tendency of the back of the shoes to cut into the tendon. Furthermore, this bias pull is diagonal with respect to the warp and woof threads of the quarter, and so there is-a stretching action of the cloth due to such diagonal pull; that is to say, when there is a strain along the line A-A, the cloth gives and stretches and so takes up the strain that otherwise would act to cut into the Achilles tendon.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the upper edge of the back-say terminates substantially at the lower edge of the cut-out portion 5. WVhen in use, with the shoe level 011 the ground, the edges of the cut-out portion are substantially as shown in Fig. 3. "When the wearer lifts his heel from the ground, and the back of the shoe would tend to cut into the Achilles tendon, the edges 6 s read as shown in Fig. 4, and so prevent cha ng, cutting and soreness due to friction at this point.

The invention is particularly applicable to that type of athletic shoe having a rubber sole and a canvas quaiter, where the top of the quarter is a little above the ankle bone. The Achilles tendon is probably most exposed at about the level of the angle bone and the cut-out portion is substantially at this level,'although the level of the cut-out may be varied.

It should, however, be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to athletic shoes, but is applicable to any otherforms of shoes for eneral wear and that the width, depth and proportions of the cut-out portion may be varied as desired.

Phe invention may also be applied to low shoes commonly known as Oxfords, as well as to ankle-height shoes. For example, in Fig. 5, the cut-out portion 10 is practically a narrow slot. In Fig. 6, the cut-out portion is substantially V- shaped.

While I have illustrated my invention in some detail, it should be understood that it may be carried out in other ways as expressed in the following claims.

I claim as my invention 1. An ankle height athletic shoe, having lacing means at the front thereof, and pro vided at its top, rear part with a substantially U-shaped notch, the edges of which extend partly around the Achilles tendon of the wearer, whereby the pull from the lacing means is distributed and chafing of the tendon prevented.

2. An angle height shoe, provided at its top rear part with a cut-out portion forming a notch, the edges of which extend partly around the Achilles tendon of the wearer, and having the usual lacing eyelets at the front, the upper eyelet being above the level of the bottom of the cut-out portion, whereby a bias pull is imposed across the upper part of the shoe.

3. An ankle height shoe having a quarter of woven material, the top, rear part of the quarter having a cut-out portion forming a notch, the edges of which extend partly around the Achilles tendon of the wearer, the quarter being provided with eyelets at the front, the upper eyelet being above the level of the bottom of theocut-out portion, whereby a bias pull is imposed along the up per part of the quarter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa- \ture.

HUGH BULLOCK. 

